Description

The house and cellars of Elizabeth Castaud’s lovely property nestles under the dramatic Dentelles de Montmirail in the village of Beaumes de Venise. The estate is run by her husband Andrew Hall and winemaker son Romain. They have 17 hectares of Muscat à Petits Grains planted on stony soils, 25% of which are in fact ‘Noirs’, red skinned giving a lovely orange tint in the glass. The grapes are entirely handpicked and the wine is tank fermented up to about 6-8 degrees alcohol when clear grape brandy is added (Mutage) to stop the fermentation and retain the lovely grapey sweetness. I think this is the best and most complex and enticing wine of the appellation and was glad for the chance to clap hands on it.